Kidnapped NYT Journalist Freed by Brit Commandos

Helicopter-borne British commandos raided a Taliban compound and freed kidnapped New York Times journalist Stephen Farrell, 46, taken last Saturday. Sadly, it's reported that a British commando and Farrell's interpreter, Mohammad Sultan Munadi, were killed during the rescue operation.

Mr Farrell said that Mr Munadi went forward, shouting: “Journalist! Journalist!” but dropped in a hail of bullets. “I dived in a ditch,” he said, adding that he did not know whether the shots had come from allied or militant fire.

After a minute or two, the dual Irish-British national who is a former Middle East correspondent for The Times, said that he heard more British voices and shouted: “British hostage!” The British voices told him to come over. As he did, he saw Mr Munadi's body.

“He was lying in the same position as he fell,” Mr Farrell said. “That’s all I know. I saw him go down in front of me. He did not move. He’s dead. He was so close, he was just two feet in front of me when he dropped.”

The provincial governor, Mohammad Omar, said that US Special Forces led the raid but the journalist’s account suggests that it was conducted by British SBS commandos.

Understandably, the British Minister of Defense did not confirm the death of the commando nor the involvement of special forces. Note that the kidnapping of Farrell and Munadi was not reported by journalists in Kabul for fear that publicity would endanger their lives.

Incidentally, Mr. Farrell survived a previous kidnapping in Iraq. He was taken outside Baghdad in 2004 and ultimately released by his captors. In Afghanistan, Farrell is one of 70 foreigners who have been kidnapped since 2001 of which 15 have been murdered.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.